The Lotus Lawyer
by brellaindigo
Summary: Terri Vera is a new attorney under Phoenix Wright. This takes place after Dual Destines. She is called the Lotus Lawyer because she can tell how the person is by their personality traits (not to be confused for a spirit medium). This story is her journey to becoming a great lawyer.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, everyone! I hope you're doing well. I'm still in the process of writing Don't Need A Criminal Mind To Describe Love. In the meantime, I decided to write an Ace Attorney fanfic. This will take place three months after Turnabout for Tomorrow in Dual Destinies. I hope you enjoy!**

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The law has reached a lull over the past decade. That's why the court adopted the bench trial where the defense attorney, the prosecutor, and the judge are the only ones participating the trial. The defense and the prosecution are facing each other as they seek the truth of a case. At least, that's how it's supposed to be. My name is Terri Vera. I'm a defense attorney. My mentor is Phoenix Wright, the owner of The Wright Anything Agency. I'm working with Apollo Justice and Athena Cykes. I got hired three months after Athena's trial. I haven't done anything great yet, but given time, I'll defend someone and help them achieve a "Not Guilty" verdict.

"Terri, what are you thinking about?" Apollo asked me, snapping me from my thoughts.

"Oh, Apollo. I was just thinking about how I haven't done anything big yet. I'm not in a rush, but I would like to be useful." I told him.

He chuckled, "Don't worry. You're being useful just by being yourself."

I smiled. Mr. Wright walked in, "Hello, Terri."

I looked up and said, "How are you doing, boss?"

He smiled, "I'm alright."

That's one of the best things about Mr. Wright. He's always a nice person, but he's firm with us whenever it's necessary. Then the news came on, "There's reports of a murder that occurred in the local zoo. The police has arrested the suspect for the crime, William Brand."

My eyes got wide, "Will!"

I stood up and exclaimed, "There's no way he could kill anyone!"

Mr. Wright asked, "Do you know him?"

I nodded, "He's my best friend."

Mr. Wright looked away in thought, then he looked at me, "Why don't we see him?"

I looked at him in surprise, "Are you sure, boss? There's no 'You can't defend him because it's a conflict of interest'?"

Mr. Wright shook his head, "I think you'll be able to defend him."

And thus this incident became my debut as a lawyer.

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**I know this chapter is short, but I promise I will have more in the chapters to come. What did you think? Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello, everyone! I hope you're doing well. Here, we are talking to Will at the Detention Center. More details about the crime will be revealed.**

** pin/276338127110258560/ **

**This is what Terri's necklace looks like.**

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DETENTION CENTER 10:00 AM

Mr. Wright and I were waiting for Will on the other side of the glass. When Will showed up, he sat down, then he looked at me, "Terri?"

I nodded, "Hey, Will."

He looked sad, "I didn't want you to see me like this."

"Will, I know you didn't do this." I told him.

"Terri, it's been six months since we last seen each other. How can you be sure?" Will asked.

I rubbed my lotus necklace. It was given to me by my grandmother on my 13th birthday. She told me, "We were all born with the gift of seeing the colors of a person's soul. Be sure to use your gift for the right reasons."

I told Will, "Because I know that you're not that kind of person."

Will looked at me, but didn't say anything. I asked, "So, what happened today?"

"I was walking around the zoo, just looking around, then I tripped over something. I turned around to see what it was. It was a dead body. I was frozen in fear. Then a woman with black hair wearing a red suit saw me and screamed, 'Murderer!' No matter how much I protested, she called the police and I was hauled here." Will explained.

"So you only discovered the body?" I asked.

"Yes, that's it." Will answered.

There was a nagging feeling in my head that said Will knew more than he was letting on, but I decided not to press him. I asked, "Will, will you allow me to defend you in court?"

Will looked shocked, "You?! Terri, do you realize what you're asking? If this goes wrong, things will be bad for the both of us!"

"I understand perfectly. I wouldn't have become a lawyer if I wasn't aware of the risks. All I'm asking is that you give me the chance." Terri explained.

Will smiled, "Wow. You really changed. Who are you and what have you done with my timid Terri?"

Terri chuckled, "It's nice to hear you make a joke again. Is that mean you will?"

Will nodded, "Yes. I'm grateful to you."

I smiled. Me and Mr. Wright left. He asked me, "He knows more than he's telling us."

"You noticed it, too?" I asked.

"How do you think he'll stand up in court?" Mr. Wright asked.

"He seems scared, so right now, I can say he may break down before I can cross-examine him." I explained.

"Do you believe in his innocence?" Mr. Wright asked.

I nodded, "Yes, I do."

WRIGHT ANYTHING AGENCY 11:00 AM

"So, the trial is tomorrow and we haven't even seen the court record." I said.

"This is your first trial. You'll need someone to stand with you." Mr. Wright told me.

I looked at the three of them. I wasn't sure who I wanted to stand at the trial with me since everyone was great in their own way. Mr. Wright is the most experienced out of all of us. Apollo can tell if someone is lying. Athena can read a people's heart. I looked down, "Will is scared and I know that he wouldn't kill anyone. It's not in his heart to do so, but seeing him today, I know he's hiding something."

Mr. Wright nodded, then said, "Athena, why don't you be there with Terri?"

"Sure thing, boss! Leave it to me, but what do you do think, Terri?" she asked me.

I looked at her, then smiled, "Sure. It would be great."

The trial is tomorrow. I need to give it my all.

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**So, the next trial will be Terri's first trial. What did you think? Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello, everyone! I hope you're doing well. Here we are witnessing Terri's court debut. For those who have seen the movie, I will be using the holographic projectsr that they used. Will it make her or break her? Let's find out!**

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COURTHOUSE NO. 3, LOBBY NO. 3, 8:30 AM:

I adjusted my jacket for the 5th time since we arrived. I was really nervous. Athena put a hand on my shoulder, "You'll be alright."

Apollo nodded, "Yeah. Whenever I feel nervous, I do my 'Chords of Steel'!"

I asked, "What's that?"

Apollo laughed, "Allow me to demonstrate."

Then he exclaimed, "I'm Apollo Justice and I'm fine!"

Athena smiled, "You say your name and that you're fine."

"It's a great stress reliever." Apollo told me.

I took a deep breath and shouted, "I'm Terri Vera and I'm fine!"

The butterflies that were in my stomach were gone. I felt better. I looked at Apollo and Athena, "Thanks, guys."

"No problem. Anything for a friend." Apollo replied.

"You're welcome. We'll rock in there for sure!" Athena retorted.

"As energetic as ever, I see." A voice said behind me. I turned around. It was Mr. Wright.

"Oh, hey, boss!" I said.

"Your client has arrived." he told me.

Will was behind him. I said, "How are you feeling, Will?"

He shook his head, "Horrible. This is your first trial and I'll be declared guilty."

I sighed, "Will, I know you didn't commit the crime and I plan to prove it to everyone today!"

Will smiled. It's been a long time since I've seen him smile. He said, "Never one to back away from a challenge. That's the Terri I know."

I laughed, "Yep!"

The bailiff said, "Will the defense and the defendant enter the courtroom?"

Athena smiled, "This is it. Let's do this!"

I nodded.

COURTROOM NO. 3, 9:00 AM:

Everyone was assembled in Courtroom No. 3. The judge said, "Court is now is session for the trial of William Brand."

"The defense is ready, Your Honor." I said.

"The prosecution is also ready, Your Honor." said the man I dreaded to see, Gaspen Payne.

"I would be careful around this guy. He's known for being the 'Rookie Humiliator.' Even I had some issues with him before." Athena told me.

"Well, well, now a purple monkey has joined the crew? I will definitely redeem myself through this little girl!" Mr. Payne, patting his toupee.

"How can you redeem yourself? You left the courtroom before the verdict was handed down." I thought.

"Is the prosecution ready to give the opening statement?" the judge asked.

"Yes, Your Honor." Mr. Payne answered.

Then he straightened his posture, "On March 13, there was a Field Trip Day at the local zoo. What was meant to be a fun day for the public turned out to be a tragedy for one Pepper Sprout. Allow me to submit her autopsy report."

The holographic projectors showed Pepper Sprout's autopsy report. The cause of death was trauma to the back of the head with a metal pole. Mr. Payne continued, "We even recovered the murder weapon."

The projectors then showed a metal pole. I looked at the details on the papers I was given. It was 14 inches in length and 5 inches in diameter. Also there are no fingerprints on the pole. The victim's blood on there, though. Mr. Payne said, "The prosecution would like to bring out their first witness."

The judge nodded, "Very well. Bring out your first witness."

A few minutes later, a lady wearing a red business suit arrived at the witness stand. Mr. Payne said, "State your name and occupation for the record."

"Madame Rouge. I'm a fashion designer." she replied.

"You were the first to find the defendant, correct?" Mr. Payne asked.

"Yes, I saw the man." Madame Rouge answered.

The judge said, "The witness will testify to what she saw that day."

I rubbed my necklace, "Something about her mental state contradicts her personality."

"What do you mean, Terri?" Athena asked.

"She's too calm for someone who saw a criminal act to have taken place." I retorted.

"Well, let's hear her testimony first." Athena told me.

Then Madame Rouge started to speak, "I was at the zoo, looking for inspiration for my new clothes line. Then I saw that man standing over the dead woman with blood dripping from his hands. I screamed from fright and the security guards came to where I was. The man was arrested on the spot."

The judge looked at us, "The defense will begin their cross-examination."

I nodded. Athena said, "You know how to do a cross-examination, right?"

"Yes. I listen to the witness's testimony and if there's a contradiction, I point it out with evidence at the right statement. If the testimony is too vague, I press the witness for more information." I explained.

Athena nodded and smiled, "You get 'em, Terri."

I looked at Madame Rouge, "So, you saw blood dripping from the defendant's hand?"

"Yes, I have." she answered.

"Objection! I find that hard to believe. Your Honor, let me direct your attention to the murder weapon." I said, slamming the desk to show the murder weapon.

"What are you trying to show me, Ms. Vera?" the judge asked.

"The witness claims to have seen Mr. Brand's hands dripping with blood. However, the murder weapon only has the victim's blood. If Mr. Brand has touched the murder weapon, his DNA would also be there!" I explained.

Madame Rouge's eyes widened. The judge said, "The defense brings up a valid point. Do you have an explanation for this, witness?"

Madame Rouge was stammering. Athena said, "Wow, Terri! You noticed that right off the bat!"

Madame Rouge said, "Wait! I do have an explanation."

"Then please explain, witness." The judge said.

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**I know this is a cliffhanger, but there will be more of the trial next chapter. What did you think? Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello, everyone! I hope you're doing well. Here we are listening to the Madame Rouge's second testimony. I hope you enjoy!**

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Madame Rouge started to speak, "I didn't see the metal pole when I saw him. He turned around when I screamed and said, 'This isn't what it looks like!' I heard the security guard come toward us afterward. He was hauled away in less than a minute."

The judge was silent for a minute, then he said, "So, you didn't see the murder weapon, witness?"

"No, I didn't." she answered.

"There is more evidence that was submitted." Mr. Payne said.

There were 5 photos showing Pepper Sprout's body on the ground. The metal pole was to the left of her body. I asked, "Madame Rouge, where were you standing when you saw Mr. Brand next to the victim?"

"Objection! Are the small details really necessary?" Mr. Payne wondered.

"If it will determine whether the witness was able to see the murder weapon or not, then yes." I answered.

The judge nodded, "I'll allow it. Please answer the question, witness."

Madame Rouge looked away in thought, then answered, "I was standing to the right of her body."

I looked at the judge, "Your Honor, the reason she didn't see the murder weapon is because she was standing to the right of the victim. The murder weapon was to the left of the victim as seen in this photo."

Everyone was murmuring. The judge banged his gavel, "Order! Order in the court!"

Everyone was silent. The judge then said, "If all this witness did was see the defendant, then there's no reason to question her any further."

"The prosecution has another witness, Your Honor." Mr. Payne said.

"The court will take a 10 minute recess." The judge told us.

THE LOBBY

I took a deep breath. Mr. Wright and Apollo walked toward us. Mr. Wright said, "I must say, Terri, you did better than I expected."

"Thank you, Mr. Wright. That was just one hurdle, though." I replied.

"True." Athena retorted.

"Terri..." Will said to me.

I looked at him, "Will, how are you doing?"

"I'm hanging in there." he told me.

"You'll be fine, Mr. Brand." Apollo said.

"I need to go to the head. Excuse me." Will replied, walking away.

Athena said, "What is he hiding?"

"I've been asking myself that since we talked to him back at the detention center." I told her.

Athena rubbed my back, "Don't worry. We'll be able to talk to him when he's on the stand."

"What if he won't talk?" I asked her.

"No hay problema! That's why I studied analytical psychology." Athena told me.

I smiled. I've seen Athena in action before I became a full-fledged lawyer. The way she digs into a person's heart and draw out their true testimony always amazes me. We walked inside the courtroom for the next round.

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**So are we ready for Round 2? What did you think? Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, everyone! I hope you're doing well. This time we're listening to our new witness. Let's see how this turns out!**

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THE COURTROOM:

The judge said, "We will now reconvene for the trial of William Brand."

"The defense is ready, Your Honor." I said.

"The prosecution is also ready, Your Honor." Mr. Payne replied.

"Man, I want to get rid of this guy, but for the sake of the trial, I'll endure him." I thought.

"The prosecution will bring out the next witness." Mr. Payne said.

Then a woman wearing a floral shirt appeared on the stand. Mr. Payne said, "State your name and occupation for the record."

"My name is Polly Bloom. I'm a photographer." she answered.

"You were there at the zoo the day of the murder, correct?" Mr. Payne asked.

"Yes, I was taking pictures of all the animals." Polly responded.

"This witness has submitted photos of the victim and the defendant while she was visiting, Your Honor."

Seven photos were shown, but they were showing more of Pepper than anything else. William and the animals were there, but they didn't seem to be the main focus of the photos. Athena asked, "Something up, Terri?"

"I don't think she was at the zoo to photograph the animals." I told her.

"The witness will begin their testimony." the judge said.

Polly straightened her jacket, then cleared her throat, "I arrived at the zoo at 10:00 am, I started to take pictures everywhere. Then I tool one of the man over there talking to the lady. I wasn't close enough to hear their conversation, but, man, did it look juicy!"

What in the world? The judge said, "The defense may begin their cross-examination."

I cleared my throat, then asked, "Ms. Bloom, you mentioned that the conversation between the defendant and the victim looked 'juicy'. What do you mean by that?"

"The way they were moving, I was thinking they were arguing." she answered.

I looked at the photos that were submitted. I looked at the time on the first photo. It was stamped at 9:30 am. I yelled, "Objection!"

Athena looked at me. I said, "Ms. Bloom, you said that you arrived at the zoo at 10:00 am. That's not what the first photo is telling us. What kind of camera did you use?"

"Nikon. It's a birthday present from my grandmother." she answered.

"You know, the best things about cameras these days is that they capture the exact moment you push the button." I mused.

"What is your point, Ms. Vera?" the judge asked me.

"Ms. Bloom, this picture puts you 30 minutes prior to when you said you arrived at the zoo. What were you doing there at 9:30?" I asked.

Polly looked rattled. Everyone in the courtroom murmured. The judge banged his gavel, "Order! Order in the court!"

Everyone was quiet. The judge said, "Witness, what is the meaning of this?"

She was shaking. Athena told me, "She's shaken up already. I wonder what she's trying to hide."

"You and me both." I answered.

"I wanted to see the animals asleep. Whenever I get there when the zoo is open, they move around a lot." Polly told us.

"There's something else I want to address, Ms. Bloom. In these photos, the animals don't seem to be the main focus. In fact, the victim, Pepper Sprout, is in every single one. Can you explain the reason behind that?" I asked.

Polly was shaking again. Athena said, "She appears to be under a great deal of stress."

"Say, Athena, do you think she needs to read more...thoroughly?" I asked.

She looked at me and smiled, "That's how it seems."

I looked at the judge, "Your Honor, the defense would like permission to give the witness a therapy session."

The judge said, "This witness does seem rather shaken. I'll allow it."

Athena nodded, then turned on her Mood Matrix.

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**So, we have a therapy session in the next chapter. What did you think? Please review!**


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